


4 times sherlock was platonically and impulsively affectionate towards john + 1 time it was romantic

by regi0s



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M, No proofread we die like men, Sherlock Holmes Has Feelings, enjoy lol, i love… them, i wrote this so long but i want to start posting again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 10:53:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27969371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regi0s/pseuds/regi0s
Summary: sherlock thinks it’s a dude-bro friend thing. john doesn’t. maybe sherlock doesn’t either?
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Kudos: 35





	4 times sherlock was platonically and impulsively affectionate towards john + 1 time it was romantic

**Author's Note:**

> this is probably really bad lol but. i’m getting back into writing. wrote this with the co-writing of one of my friends a while ago. enjoy :3

#1: 😳✌️

john had been sitting on the couch, flipping through the weekly newspaper when he heard the front door open. 

he looked over his paper, seeing that it was sherlock. he looked rather disheveled, taking his scarf off and throwing it absentmindedly across the room. 

"have a bad day?" john asked, looking up at the man. "not particularly bad," sherlock said, hanging up his coat, "long." john nodded, setting the newspaper he was reading on the desk beside him. 

suddenly, instead of sherlock going to his chair like usual, he had been coming towards the couch. john made an effort to scoot over to make room for sherlock. 

instead, sherlock sat beside him, resting a head on johns shoulder. 

"need something?" john said, feeling a little confused. sherlock didn't say anything at first. "just tired..." he trailed off, then scooting into a position to rest his head on johns lap. he laid there, an audible sigh exiting his body. 

john momentarily freaked out. okay. okay. it's fine. he's had a long day. let him do what he wants to do. he thought, adjusting his body as to make it more comfortable for his friend.

but what if i have to get up? 

he realized he was freaking out over absolutely nothing. sherlock would be up by then. it was fine.  
.....  
about 30 minutes had passed, small snores exiting sherlock's mouth as he still laid asleep on johns thighs. john had done things to occupy himself. get on his phone, try and fall asleep himself, stare at random things around the flat.

but his legs were starting to get numb. very numb. he could feel his legs tingling while the lad still lay with his hands tucked underneath his head. 

john then decided to make a move. "sherlock? hey," he whispered, slightly nudging his friend. no response. he rested his hand on sherlock's arm, contemplating on shaking him awake. 

he shook him lightly, whispering his name. sherlock stirred in his sleep. "hmm?" he heard a response, sherlock tilting his head up, eyes still closed. 

"hey, can you get up? my legs are starting to hurt." 

sherlock sat up slightly, allowing john to slip from underneath him. sherlock sat up, rubbing his eyes. john stretched his legs, finally getting feeling back into them. he never knew how goddamn heavy that mans head was. 

"can i go back to sleep now?" sherlock asked, looking at the clock on the wall. 7:39 pm. john nodded, not knowing why he would need permission. sherlock then rested his head on johns shoulder, falling asleep almost instantly. john decided to return to favor, resting his head on his, drifting away on the couch as well.  
___________________________  
#2 😌✌️

sherlock and john had fallen into the same routine, sherlock coming home from work, falling asleep on johns lap, and repeat. john would now occasionally run his fingers through the other mans hair when he was sleeping. only for a moment. 

today was different. sure, sherlock would have his occasional bad days, but john could feel his mood as soon as he stepped through the door. he didn't even bother to take off his coat.

sherlock went straight to his chair, picking up the nearest book, pretending to be engulfed in it. 

john studied him for a moment. "everything alright?" he asked. "oh yeah, i'm fine. bad day is all." silence. john paused for a moment. "you sure? do you want to talk about it?" sherlock looked up from his book, making eye contact. "not particularly." he said, blank-faced. he went back to his book.

it was silent for a moment. "okay, what's wrong? i can't sit here with the negativity floating around in the room." john spoke. sherlock sighed, visibly frustrated. 

"it's nothing. just a case complication, i was completely dumb and couldn't do anything to fix it. that's all." he set his book down. 

"don't you think you may be overreacting?" john asked. "overreacting? really? i rarely get anything wrong, john. and i completely messed up today." he paused. "god, i'm so ignorant." sherlock said, putting his head in his hands. 

john sat for a moment, confused. sherlock then got up, moving to the couch. 

"i find it easier to speak when i'm closer to someone." sherlock said. john nodded. "sherlock, love, don't you think this is a bit irrational?" john saw sherlock tense at the accidental word that slipped out of his mouth. "sorry, i-" "oh, shut up." sherlock said, interlocking their fingers. "this is just for comfort. don't get any ideas." he confirmed, resting his head on johns shoulder. 

since when did physical contact "comfort" sherlock holmes?   
________________________________  
#3 🤪✌️

they were in their usual position, except this time sherlock wasn't on his thighs. they were both in sherlock's room, watching the tv. john had impulsively started running his fingers through sherlock's hair, eyes still fixed on the tv.

"could you stop that? i'm not a cat, john." sherlock said, not taking his eyes off the tv. "oh yeah? why do you insist on being so close to me then?" john retorted. "no reason. i guess it just happens." sherlock said, pulling away, realizing his actions. 

john was slightly upset sherlock had moved. 

they continued watching the tv, until sherlock got up. "i'm going to the washroom to take a shower. i'll be back." he abruptly got up, shutting the door behind him. 

john sat alone for about 15 minutes. he had heard the shower turn off. yet sherlock hadn't returned. whatever, he's probably down in the kitchen burning something alive. he thought to himself. he then heard a loud crashing noise. 

he sat up quickly, getting off the bed. he listened for anything afterwards. john was starting to get worried, heading for the door when he heard him. 

"JOHNNN!!" sherlock yelled from across the flat. john rolled his eyes, rushing out of the room. "is everything alrig-" he stopped, entering the kitchen. a liquid substance was all over the floor, sherlock standing on their kitchen table. "what the bloody hell are you doing!?" john exclaimed.

"experiment." sherlock said, looking around the room. "do we happen to have a mop?" john rolled his eyes. "damnit, holmes. yes, it's in the closet. i'll go get it." he rushed over, retrieving the mop, stretching to hand it to sherlock without stepping in the liquid.

"i can deal with this myself now, thank you." sherlock said, gesturing john to leave. john headed back to his bedroom. 

it had been a good 20 minutes of silence before his bedroom door opened. sherlock stepped through, throwing his coat on the bed. "uh, you are aware this is my room, correct?" john asked, watching sherlock move across the room. "yes, and your point is?" he said, getting onto the bed. 

sherlock reaches for his coat, pulling it over him like a blanket. "you know we have quilts, right?" sherlock nodded. "i prefer my coats. MUCH more comfortable.   
here," he lifted his coat, gesturing for him to come underneath with him.

"oh, no. i'm just fine right he-" he was the tanked across the bed, pulled into sherlock's embrace. 

"it's getting colder, you know. no use in turning on the heater when you have coats and a friend." sherlock said, winking at him. "right..." john said, feeling a little awkward. he had to admit, it was warm. extremely warm. and sherlock was warm. but still, sherlock had been acting rather intimate lately, extremely unusual for someone such as him.  
_____________________________  
#4 😙✌️

"would you shut UP, sherlock? it's always something with you, isn't it? i'm really tired of being observed on my every move." john shouted, despite being in public. 

they were waiting to hail a cab, but john had gotten very caught up in the moment. 

"oh please, john. like you're any less a bother." sherlock said, turning away. john tried to hail a cab, all of them passing by without a glance. "listen, you, i don't know WHY you think you're so much better than everyone else," he said, putting a finger to sherlock's chest. "i never said anything of that sort." sherlock said, grabbing his finger and lowering it. 

john shook his hand away. "AND THAT! you've been acting SO weird lately. taking naps on me and such. don't you think it's kind of weird for people to do that to other people?"

sherlock shook his head. "i don't see anything wrong or romantic in what i've done. it's your own fault to perceive it that way." he said, leaning against a wall.

john stuttered, opening and closing his mouth to say something. "whatever, i'm really done with you." he said, turning away. he had no response, turning to see sherlock walking the other direction. he hurried after him.

he practically ran, coming next to him and slowing down. "goddamnit, holmes. you know your legs are longer than mine." there was silence for a moment.

sherlock burst into laughter. "what? what's so funny?" john asked, coming to a stop. sherlock turned. "you get so worked up over absolutely nothing. it's adorable, really." "THAT!" john yelled, earning some stares from passerby's. "you say and do these things, and play it off as nothing. 

"because it IS nothing. i don't see the issue or problem with anything. unless you're that repulsed by me." john softened a bit. "no, sherlock. of course not." sherlock laughed again. they had come to their flat, unlocking the door and stepping inside. sherlock went to his chair, sitting down.  
...  
it had been a good hour of silence in the room before either had spoken. 

john was in the kitchen, sitting at the dining table. sherlock got up silently, walking over to his flatmate. 

john was sitting with a cup of tea, staring at nothing. sherlock came behind him, wrapping his arms around his friends neck. john jumped, turning. "what are you doing??" sherlock didn't respond. instead he removed his arms, sighing, and heading to his room without a word.  
________________________  
#5 😘✌️

the flat had been quiet most of the day, neither really saying a word to each other. john had been out most of the day, mainly avoiding going back home. sherlock had been cooped in his room all day, doing god knows what. 

a few hours later, john finally stepped through the door, seeing ms hudson and stopping by to say hello. "john! i haven't heard from you in so long!" she pulled him in for a hug. "how's sherlock doing?" 

john pulled away, tilting his head. "god if i know. haven't talked to him lately." he said. "why not? something going on between the two of yous?" she said, continuing to hang her clothing.

"oh, not really. he's just been a little odd lately. closed off." "well that's just how he is, darling." she replied. "no no, i mean he's CLOSED OFF. more than... usual." 

she paused for a moment. "well, i'd suggest you see what's wrong with the boy. you two seem to get each other very well, from what i've seen." john nodded, saying his goodbyes and continuing into the living room.

"sherlock?" he called, throwing his scarf on the chair. he got no response, but the sound of a door opening. sherlock stepped into the room, dressed in a dressing gown and pajama bottoms, his hair untamed and a curly mess. "john.. i didn't expect you to be back anytime soon." he said.

"why wouldn't i? this is my flat too, y'know." sherlock nodded, noticing the mood he was in. 

"listen, john. i think we need to talk. seriously." sherlock said, looking over to the shorter man. john looked up, eyebrows furrowed. "about what?" he replied. "about.... this." sherlock gestured between the two. "i cant continue to let you think this is nothing, when it isn't. it's SOMETHING. and it's something i thinks important." he said, moving to the couch, patting it for john to sit.

john sat, still confused. "are you seriously kicking me out or something? over a few arguements?-" sherlock stopped him. "no no no, of course not. it's just," he took a deep breath.

"have you noticed anything over the pass few months? me laying with you? holding your hand? goddamn, john, doing things i would NEVER want to do with other people?" sherlock asked, slightly shaking. 

john grabbed sherlock's shoulder, steadying him. "well, yes. i've been thinking about that. what's going on?" 

sherlock was quiet for a minute. two minutes. john didn't say anything, allowing him to have his time. 

"i think i love you, john." sherlock said bluntly. john closed his mouth, taken aback a bit. "like, i genuinely think i romantically love you. a lot," he said "and i don't feel this way about people. and it may sound extremely strange but i just DONT. i'm here to exist and to work, not to focus on other human beings." he went on.

and john listened. john listened to what sherlock had to say, studying every part of his body as he spoke. noticed his hands locked together, his jaw bone moving along with how he spoke, his curly untamed hair bouncing about. his beautiful grey eyes.

"...and that's why i've been doing this. and i know it's weird. and i know you're probably interested in women, but i just needed to g-" sherlock was interrupted by john pressing his lips to his, not sure how to respond. 

sherlock leaned into the kiss, wrapping a hand around johns neck. johns hand was behind sherlock, pressing into the arm of the couch. they broke apart, not breaking eye contact.

they pressed their foreheads together, staying there for a moment. john pressed sherlock's face into his chest, placing multiple kisses atop his head of curls. "i love you too, sherlock." was all that he said.

nothing else was said as john laid down, bring sherlock on top of him. sherlock squished into the side of the couch, resting his head on johns shoulder. 

john ran his fingers through sherlock's teased, silky hair. they laid there for hours, until both fell asleep. both of their breathing patterns perfectly in sync. 

there was a sound of the door opening, revealing ms hudson. she admired the two of them, both asleep in each other's arms. she closed the door, muttering to herself. "now i KNEW those two were fooling with one another." she said, heading back down the staircase, leaving the two men to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> :))


End file.
